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Home Help

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Home Help

  • Young man in wheelchair with caregiver and cat.

    Medicaid Services - Home Help

    Assistance is available if you are eligible for Medicaid Fee for Service and require physical assistance with at least one activity of daily living. An adult services worker will complete an assessment in your home to determine whether you qualify for assistance through the Home Help program.

    Home Help Pays For:

    • Activities of Daily Living including bathing, dressing, eating, grooming, mobility, toileting, transferring inside your home.
    • Instrumental Activities of Daily Living such as light housework, laundry, taking medication, meal preparation, shipping for food and medication.
    • Complex care tasks, for example, bowel program, catheters or leg bags, feeding tube care, peritoneal dialysis, range of motion exercises, specialized skin care, suctioning, wound care, respiratory treatment, ventilator care, specialty medical equipment. 
     
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    Services not Covered by Home Help:

    • Heavy housework.
    • Home repairs.
    • Prompting or reminding someone to complete a task.
    • Supervision.
    • Transportation.
    • Yard work.

Home Help Application Process

  • A Home Help referral is a request for services and may be made by the individual seeking assistance or by another person on their behalf. Referrals may be submitted by phone, mail, fax or in person. They should be directed to the local county MDHHS office where the client resides.

  • The referral is assigned to an Adult Services Worker (ASW) in the county where the client lives who will review the referral and send any required paperwork to the client. The first form is the DHS-390, Adult Services Application, which must be completed and signed by the client or their guardian. The ASW will also provide an MDHHS-6200, Adult Services Medical Needs Certification form, which must be completed by the client’s Medicaid-approved medical provider, including a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, occupational therapist, physical therapist or clinical nurse specialist. 

    Both forms can be found on the Forms and Publications link on this website.

  • The ASW will send a letter to the client for a scheduled home visit to complete the assessment for Home Help eligibility. If a caregiver has already been selected, it is best if the caregiver can also attend the home visit. If the client has not selected a caregiver, the ASW will explain the client’s options and how to choose a caregiver. The client can choose an individual caregiver (family member or friend who is at least 18 years old) or an agency provider.

    It is important to know that the client is the employer in the Home Help program, not the State of Michigan.

    A Home Help client can hire, fire or change their caregiver at any time.

  • The ASW will approve or deny the application according to Home Help policy requirements and send the client a written notice of the decision within 45 days.

    If the client disagrees with the decision, they can request a hearing.

  • Woman looking at tablet.

    Choosing a Provider

    Home Help clients have the right to choose their caregiver, who can be an individual caregiver or an agency provider.

    • The caregiver must be at least 18 years old.
    • The caregiver cannot be the client's spouse.
    • The caregiver cannot be a parent caring for a minor child.
    • The caregiver cannot also receive Home Help services.

    Caregivers must enroll in the Community Health Automated Medicaid Processing System (CHAMPS) and pass a background check in order to be eligible for payment. Caregivers can visit Michigan.gov/HomeHelp for detailed CHAMPS instructions and job aids. Caregivers can also contact Provider Support Services at 800-979-4662 or providersupport@michigan.gog for assistance. All caregivers must be approved in CHAMPS and given a provider ID number before they can be paid.

    If a client is unhappy with their caregiver, they can choose a different caregiver.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Apply for Medicaid at Michigan.gov/MiBridges or your local MDHHS office.

  • The Home Help application process can take up to 45 days.

  • There is not a maximum number of hours. Each person is unique, and approved hours are determined on an individual basis.